IBM zEnterprise EC12 Mainframe is Culmination of $1 Billion in R&D

IBM’s newest mainframe server, the zEnterprise EC12, is purportedly the most powerful and technologically advanced enterprise system Big Blue has ever assembled. It sports the world’s fastest processor, a six-core 32nm part running at 5.5GHz, that offers 25 percent more performance per core than the 45nm quad-core chip used in the previous generation zEnterprise 196. According to IBM, zEC12 is the result of an investment of more than $1 billion in research and development.

The zEC12 supports up to 120 cores, offers 50 percent more total capacity than its predecessor, and boasts ironclad security. It’s the only commercial server to achieve Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 5+ security classification, part of which is due to the inclusion of a state-of-the-art, tamper-resistant cryptographic co-processor called Crypto Express4S.

IBM equipped zEC12 with 3TB of system memory, along with a new type of memory called Flash Express designed to improve performance of data intensive applications.

“We continue to drive innovation on System z, allowing a broader set of clients to apply its leadership capabilities in security and resiliency to the current demands of their business, be they from analytics, cloud or mobile computing,” said Doug Balog, general manager IBM System z. “Our end-to-end design approach for smarter computing — from processors to systems to software optimization — is targeted to handle complicated business challenges associated with managing, protecting and analyzing a client’s most critical information. It’s what makes the mainframe the ultimate enterprise system.”

The zEC12 will be available to commercial customers starting December 31.

Image Credit: IBM

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